By Leilanie Adriano
LAOAG CITY – An official of the Ilocos Norte Schools Division on Wednesday called on schools in the province to strengthen water conservation measures and raise student awareness of responsible water use amid concerns over the effects of a looming “very strong” El Niño.
In an interview, Ilocos Norte Schools Division Superintendent Donato Balderas Jr. emphasized the importance of combining water conservation education with practical infrastructure that would enable schools to safely harvest and store rainwater for appropriate uses.
The initiative seeks to instill water-saving habits among students while encouraging schools to adopt sustainable practices, such as rainwater harvesting that can help address potential water shortages.
“At a young age, they should already be aware of the importance of conserving our natural resources,” he said.
By incorporating water conservation into classroom discussions and daily school activities, educators can help students understand the importance of avoiding waste and using available water responsibly.
Students can also practice simple measures, such as turning off faucets when not in use, reporting leaking pipes, and using water efficiently during cleaning and other school activities.
These habits, when practiced consistently, can contribute to reducing water consumption in schools and households.
Aside from promoting awareness, Balderas thanked the provincial government of Ilocos Norte, led by Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos, for providing schools with improvised rainwater catchment drums to collect and store rainwater safely.
The awareness campaign to conserve water in schools includes distributing rainwater catchment drums to 37 selected schools on Wednesday.
“My purpose for initiating this is for our students to become aware that climate change is here to stay. We have to be prepared as always, and let us be proactive in all these things,” the governor said in a media interview after the distribution at the Laoag Centennial Arena.
She said she hopes that others will be inspired to have their own rainwater catchment facilities to save on water.
School principal Ethelbert Pagdilao of Pinili National High School expressed gratitude for the rainwater catchment project in his school, which he said is “very useful and timely” in light of a water shortage in their area, particularly during summer. (PNA)
